Daily Prayer 9.1.14 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. - Ephesians 4:25-32 Whether the subject is taking a bath, picking up toys or getting up for school, children are notorious for demanding to know the “why” behind every what. Knowing “why” goes a long way towards helping kids follow rules, and every good teacher or thoughtful parent will always be ready to supply one. We all know that we should not lie, we shouldn’t hold on to anger, and we should not engage in gossip and slander. Like a good parent, Paul us gives us a reason avoid such behaviors, especially in the church. When we are less than truthful with each other, when we harbor anger, when we engage in slander and tear each other down, we engender divisiveness, creating cracks of distrust that the devil exploits to pry us apart from each other. The seeds of disunity lodge in those cracks and are nurtured by the evil one, who delights in the dissention and dysfunction that follows. Before long the church body is rendered useless, unable to carry out its mission of making disciples for Christ. It becomes a toothless tiger, a mere social club that is no longer able to make any real difference in the world. How faithful we are in avoiding these sins of division reveals how deeply we desire to please God. To indulge them is to grieve Christ Himself and so betray our lack of love for Him. To be truthful, to be forgiving, to share what we have and to build each other up; these are the things Christ desires that we do for each other. It is what He did for all His disciples, and what He continues to desire for us now. Good morning all! Today please pray for: Pete and his family, as they continue to mourn the loss of Bob; Lord, we are grateful for the life of Bob, for the love he shared and for Your care for him now. Daryl G., who is in the hospital after suffering a fall; Lord, we pray for Daryl’s recovery and rehabilitation. For all children and youth returning to school; Father, we ask that Your Holy Spirit be with each of our children. Please keep them safe and guide them in Your wisdom and in Your truth. Please continue to hold in prayer: Wilma and Leroy, John J., June and Mike, Baby Rhys and his family, Christine T. and Theo, Michelle V. and Emmett; Lord Jesus, we pray for these friends; guide them and hold them near to You today. Fill them with Your strength, comfort and healing power. Lord, let my love for You provide the rule and reason for all I do today. Let me not grieve Your Spirit! Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 15:56:54 +0000
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